John McClain, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, is in his 48th year of covering the NFL in Houston, including 45 seasons at the Houston Chronicle.

When Charles Dickens wrote, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," he could have been referring to the Texans' offense in the first and second half this season.

When the Texans play the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Monday Night Football – a third consecutive prime-time game – they have to solve the problem of failing to score touchdowns in the second half.

The Cowboys, who are 3-6 with a three-game losing streak, have been outscored by 44 points in the second half, including by 60 in the third quarter. Dallas could provide the elixir for what ails the Texans' offense in the second half.

Of all the issues that have hampered the Texans during a stretch in which they've suffered three losses in four games, their inability to score touchdowns in the second half has to be the most troubling for Head Coach DeMeco Ryans.

Sunday night's 26-23 loss to the Lions at NRG Stadium is the most recent example of how the Texans' offense excels in the first half and evaporates in the second.

The Texans dominated Detroit in the first half, leading 23-7 going into the third quarter. The Lions' six-game winning streak in which they averaged 36 points a game and their undefeated record on the road were in jeopardy.

But then Bobby Slowik's offense failed to score on seven second-half possessions, which contributed to the Lions pulling out a victory on Tomball native Jake Bates' 52-yard field goal with no time left on the clock.

The Texans haven't scored a touchdown in the second half in four consecutive games dating back to the Oct. 13 victory at New England. They've scored 15 points in the second half of their last four games.

The Texans have outscored opponents by 57 points in the first half (142-85). They've been outscored by 59 in the second half (82-141). They've failed to score a touchdown in the second half of six games.

"Second half was not good enough," Ryans said. "We didn't play winning football. We understand we haven't moved the ball (and) we haven't scored points in the second half. We have to find a way to play a complete game.

"We stalled on a lot of drives and didn't score any points in the second half. To beat a good team like that we have to be able to sustain drives and score points. We were going backward way too much. To win games, you've got to have guys step up and make plays (and) that's not happening."

It was the second time this season the Texans lost to an NFC North team on a field goal with no time remaining, the first at Green Bay, where the Texans left with a 24-22 defeat after Brandon McManus connected from 45 yards out.

The Texans came close to upsetting the Lions, a 3.5-point favorite. The defense intercepted quarterback Jared Goff five times. Joe Mixon scored on an 8-yard run to begin the first-half scoring. C.J. Stroud threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to John Metchie III to end the first half with the Texans holding a 16-point advantage.

But Stroud threw two costly interceptions in the second half after playing so well in the first half. Cornerback Carlton Davis, who was the victim of three touchdown passes by Stroud when he played for Tampa Bay last season, picked him off on the first play of the third quarter. That play led to a Detroit touchdown.

Then, with Tank Dell open in the end zone, Stroud waited too long to throw and gave Davis time to make his second interception, costing the Texans a touchdown.

"(We) definitely should have won this game," Stroud said. "I feel like this game was on me. (I've) got to make throws. Can't turn the ball over. I've got to be better in those moments.

"(When) the defense is getting the turnovers like they were, (we've) got to be able to reward them with points. That's something we didn't do. I feel like I'm the one to blame when it comes to that – (turned) the ball over in the red zone."

As usual, Stroud was forced to throw in too many obvious passing situations. Despite changes in the offensive line – center Juice Scruggs to left guard and Jarrett Patterson replacing him at center – Stroud was sacked four times, including one that was his fault.

"It's not easy to be on third-and-long a lot -- clearly just got to be better on first and second down," Stroud said. "That's my job to lead the offense to score points, and I didn't do that.

"(We've) got to move on from this and still understand we took one of the best teams to the wire. We really should have put them away after the first half. It's really on the offense. I've got to be better."

Ryans was asked about Stroud's interceptions by Davis on the first play of the second half and in the end zone on what should have been an easy touchdown pass to Dell.

"It's not good enough to turn the football over there, especially red zone or coming out (for second half)," Ryans said. "We talk about getting started in the second half, and we talked about being better in the second half, but to come out and turn the ball over (on) the first play of the second half, and to get in the red zone, where we have points, and to turn the ball over, that's not winning football.

"We have to win first and second down. Too many negative plays on first and second down. We didn't run the ball well. We didn't control the line of scrimmage when it came to running the football, which is what we've been doing a good job of. When you don't play well on first and second down, you find yourself in third-and-long, and it's hard to continuously win third-and-long."

Detroit, 8-1 for the first time since 1954 and 5-0 away from Ford Field, left the Texans with a 6-4 record – the same as last season when they won the AFC South. They still have a firm grip on first place in the NFL's worst division because the Colts, Titans and Jaguars continued to lose.

The Texans should have defeated the Lions. Goff did everything he could to give away the game. He came to Houston with four interceptions and left with nine. The last team to have five interceptions and win was Atlanta in 2012. The Texans converted those five interceptions into only 10 points – a touchdown and field goal.

"I'm proud of the defense for getting five turnovers," Ryans said. "The thing about turnovers is what are you doing with those turnovers? It's getting the points off the turnovers. That's how you swing the game. I don't think we got enough points off the turnovers.

"That's a really good offense, and our guys played well. It's frustrating, of course, to play against that offense, a high-powered offense, and be able to take the football away. We hang our hat on taking (away) the football, but down the stretch, we have to play better."

What transpired Sunday night in a sold-out, red-clad stadium with a playoff-type atmosphere left the Texans trending in the wrong direction. Playing without receiver Nico Collins and defensive end Will Anderson Jr. and losing defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi and cornerback Kamari Lassiter with injuries contributed to the defeat, but the offensive futility in the second half continues to be disturbing.

After scoring on five of six possessions in the first half to build the 16-point halftime lead, on their seven series in the second half, the Texans went interception, punt, interception, punt, punt, punt and missed 58-yard field goal.

The Lions did a great job of containing Mixon. He carried 25 times for 46 yards and an 8-yard touchdown run. He averaged only 1.8 yards a carry.

The Texans did a terrific job containing the Lions' running game. Detroit averaged 152.6 yards rushing. They had 35 in the first three quarters 70 in the fourth to finish with 105, including a 3.3 average.

"We stalled a little defensively," Ryans said about the fourth quarter. "They got some runs when we didn't set the edge. We weren't triggering fast enough at the second level. When things got tight at the end, we didn't execute. We had multiple opportunities to get off the field, but we didn't make those plays.

"We have to look at everything, look at all the play calling (and) what we're asking our guys to do, make sure we're putting them in a good spot to execute. Guys have to take ownership and make sure everybody's doing what they're supposed to do."